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Sea Circle Calendar 1514. Alabasta Kingdom, the Grand Line (Paradise).
As one of the twenty royal lineages that founded the World Government eight hundred years ago, the noble Nefertari family had famously refused the right to live in the Holy Land of Mary Geoise. Instead, they remained in this territory, establishing their own vast desert kingdom.
Alabasta was shrouded in mystery, rumored to be the resting place of the Ancient Weapon—Pluton.
To return to the New World and crush Whitebeard, Sir Crocodile had formed the secret criminal syndicate "Baroque Works." He was currently executing "Operation Utopia," a plan to unearth Pluton and seize power. By meticulously orchestrating man-made disasters and turning the fertile land into a desolate wasteland, he had successfully framed the King of Alabasta. In doing so, he had transformed himself into a "Hero" in the eyes of the common people.
..............
"Is it only by merging with the darkness that one can truly dismantle it?" Zephyr muttered to himself as he watched the crowds on the plaza below worshiping Crocodile from afar.
The spirits of his two remaining disciples, Ain and Binz, had also suffered an irreparable shock. After traveling with Kuzan for a full year and treading through every corner of the Grand Line, all they had encountered was darkness.
The reality was entirely different from what they had imagined. It wasn't just the pirates and the Revolutionary Army who were the sources of the world's upheaval—the Marines and the World Government were equally shrouded in shadow.
As long as humans exist, selfishness follows. No one can be truly selfless. In a world where the law of the sea often supersedes the law of the land, holding onto one's moral compass is of paramount importance.
Once a person loses their bottom line and discards their principles, anyone—regardless of whether they scream about "dreams" or "order"—can commit acts of absolute madness. In that regard, there was no difference between a pirate and the World Government. Perhaps the Government wasn't like this when it was first established, but under the slow erosion of desire, it had plummeted into the abyss. Even if there were still people within the system holding onto their principles, what did it matter?
Powerless to effect change, they found it difficult enough just to maintain their own integrity. Sooner or later, they would either be crushed or forced to join the corruption.
"As long as humanity exists, the source of darkness will never run dry..." Kuzan remarked, the light reflecting coldly off his round-rimmed sunglasses.
The four of them slowly backed away from the crowd and headed toward the harbor to set sail once again.
"So, you intend to join the newest source of darkness to prevent it from spreading further? To find your own justice?" Zephyr's will was no longer despondent, but his expression had become chillingly indifferent. He was beginning to understand Kuzan's logic.
"Yes," Kuzan nodded, his voice solemn. "A single person's strength is of no use here. That is why I am asking for your help, Teacher."
He knew that Zephyr's family had been murdered by pirates, leading to a deep-seated hatred for the breed. However, Kuzan had no confidence in navigating a place like the Thunder God Territory alone to fulfill his vision. He needed allies.
"It seems I can no longer refuse." Zephyr's Marine "Justice" coat billowed in the wind. Under the fading light of the setting sun, the black characters for JUSTICE were painfully eye-searing.
Rrip—!
With a sudden motion, he tore the coat from his shoulders and hurled it into the ocean. He stood there in a simple vest, revealing his rugged muscles and powerful chest. Simultaneously, Ain and Binz discarded their own coats, following Zephyr's lead without a word.
"I never imagined a day would come where I would consort with pirates... but why do I feel a strange sense of anticipation?"
"Regardless of where we are, as long as our hearts face the light..."
Kuzan never doubted whether the Thunder Emperor would accept them. Perhaps ten years ago, when they met at the Sabaody Archipelago and Arthur asked that mysterious question, the Emperor had already foreseen this outcome.
In fact, Kuzan suspected Arthur wouldn't even care if he knew they intended to "utilize" the Thunder God Pirates for their own goals—he might even find it amusing. That man's strength had reached a level where he believed he could control any variable.
It is precisely because of the Thunder Emperor's arrogance—his confidence bordering on hubris—that I will be able to flex my strength and execute my plan, Kuzan thought.
The four of them boarded a hijacked pirate ship. With Binz at the helm, they sped toward the New World. Zephyr sat cross-legged on the deck, Kuzan feigned sleep in a chair, and Ain leaned against the railing, watching the horizon.
Bloop, bloop, bloop, bloop...
Bloop, bloop, bloop, bloop...
"Teacher, Fleet Admiral Sengoku is calling again."
The sound of the Den Den Mushi snapped the four of them back to reality. Ain pulled the snail from her pack and handed it over.
"Now, no one can stop me from doing what I must... Answer it," Zephyr said with a grim smile. Having thoroughly given up on the Marines, he had cast aside his lingering attachments. He only wanted to follow Kuzan and find the justice they sought.
"Zephyr! Where on earth are you?? When are you returning to Headquarters??"
From the office in Marineford, Sengoku's voice erupted in a furious roar the moment the connection was made. They had been off the grid for a full year—the intelligence department only knew they were wandering somewhere in the first half of the Grand Line.
"Sengoku, I can only offer my apologies. The next time we meet, I won't be holding back," Zephyr said, laughing heartily. He had finally stepped out from the shadow of his students' massacre. He had found a new conviction, and his fighting spirit was being rekindled.
"What? What are you talking about?" Sengoku went silent for a moment before growling through his anger.
"It means... I am leaving the Marines. The next time we meet, we will be enemies!"
"You bastard!! Zephyr, stop joking! Have you been brainwashed by pirates??"
Above Marineford, a suffocating aura began to spread, making the sailors training on the plaza feel as though they were losing their breath.
"Justice? Look at what you are all doing. The Marines have lost their way!!"
"Damn it... You bastard, have you forgotten your family was killed by pirates? Have you forgotten your childhood dream of being a hero? Have you forgotten Garp, Tsuru, and the oath we all took together??" Sengoku roared into the Den Den Mushi, his eyes bloodshot with rage.
His voice echoed over the naval base. Within moments, various officers from across the headquarters began to gather outside the office. Almost every high-ranking officer currently in the Navy had been a student of Zephyr's—they listened to the exchange with heavy hearts.
"The ones who have forgotten are you, Sengoku! Are the Marines today truly carrying out Justice?"
"Perhaps some things have gone wrong, but our conviction remains firm! Our consciences are clear! ...Where is Kuzan? Let him speak!!"
Kuzan sighed, pushing his sleep mask up onto his forehead and rubbing his temples. "My apologies, Fleet Admiral... I'm the one who 'corrupted' Teacher Zephyr. I don't know if the path I'm taking is right, but if Mr. Garp were still alive, I think he would support my decision."
"Have you fallen as well, Kuzan??"
"To call it 'falling' is a bit laughable..."
Zephyr hung up the phone. He felt as if he had been reborn from the flames.
'Success or failure... no matter what happens, I will never forget Justice,' he thought silently.
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